http://time-blog.com/real_clear_politics/2008/08/obama_condemns_russia.html
"The United States should call for a meeting of the United Nations Security Council to condemn Russia's decision in coordination with our European allies. The U.S. should lead within the UN and other international forums to cast a clear and unrelenting light on the decision, and to further isolate Russia internationally because of its actions."
Goal: Emphasize Obama's preference for diplomacy and multilateralism over war and unilateralism.
Rationale: The popularity of both war and unilateralism are at a modern nadir, it seems. Painting the Security Council as the solution to these problems makes Obama look receptive to the public. It also highlights his judgment and measuredness, as opposed to President Bush's perceived recklessness.
Hope (with much audacity): Voters don't realize that Russia has a veto at the Security Council, thus making any Security Council deliberations on this cosmetic only.
Any Security Council resolution would be an utter waste of time. Russia would veto anything strongly worded, and anything that Russia wouldn't veto would be an inoffensive reaffirmation of rights of national sovereignty.
For a politician who often spoke of rising above traditional politics, Obama has run a conventional, well-disciplined campaign in the general election.
1 comment:
I agree with you. Obama's Russia policy is so disconnected from reality that I pray he's just pandering and doesn't actually believe what he says.
McCain has the opposite problem: he's trying to sharpen the contrast between himself and Obama by taking a strong stand, but ironically, his "we will never abandon Georgia" stance makes him look... naive.
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